This week's new book releases feature a murder mystery by Countdown's Susie Dent and a surreal tale set in modern-day and ancient China. The standout titles include 'Death Writ Large' by Susie Dent and 'Ghost Cities' by Siang Lu, both scoring 9/10 in reviews.
Susie Dent Returns with 'Death Writ Large'
Susie Dent, best known as the dictionary corner dynamo on Countdown, returns to the City of Spires in 'Death Writ Large'. The novel follows Dr Martha Thornhill and her fellow lexicographers at the Clarendon English Dictionary as they pit their puzzle-solving skills against a vengeful figure targeting arrogant graduates. Strange runes and threatening graffiti are found near the body of an Oxford University lecturer.
Dent's debut novel, 'Guilty by Definition', introduced the clever coterie of Martha, Safi, and Alex, who now help DI Oliver Caldwell crack another case. Dent vividly describes Oxford, populating both town and gown with realistic characters who navigate cryptic clues, false trails, and red herrings. Each short, punchy chapter opens with the definition of an obscure but fittingly related word, delighting amateur enigmatologists and linguists alike.
'Death Writ Large' by Susie Dent is published in hardback by Zaffre, priced £20 (ebook £12.99). Review by Amy Crowther.
Siang Lu's 'Ghost Cities' Blends Myth and Reality
In 'Ghost Cities', Siang Lu tells the story of a young man caught between English-speaking and Chinese cultures, while a timeless fable of an autocratic emperor beset with fraternal vengeance unfolds in parallel. The novel alternates chapters, flipping from a modern, conversational style to that of a classical narrator of an oral tradition.
Lu spins a web of metaphor and suggested meaning, as readers try to find links between the alternating stories. The characters navigate endless acts of deception, leaving them questioning the validity of their experiences. The absurdity of megalomaniacal leaders is comedic, while an appreciation of art and its ability to reveal truth in the face of cynical deceit shines throughout.
'Ghost Cities' by Siang Lu is published in hardback by Summit Books UK, priced £16.99 (ebook £7.98). Review by Danny Halpin.
Adrian Duncan's 'A Thought Without Collision'
Adrian Duncan's latest novel, 'A Thought Without Collision', is told across two timelines. It follows Catherine Carolan, a mathematical prodigy and later accomplished University of Oxford professor. In post-civil war Ireland, Catherine's blossoming intellect is nurtured in a small schoolhouse while her parents grapple with familial and financial woes. In the summer of 1951, Catherine reunites with old friend Dr Josef Alois to care for him through his mental and physical decline.
Contemplative and philosophical, the novel is a tender examination of our relationships to one another and the world around us. Duncan's characters are lovingly and carefully crafted, defined by their innermost thoughts, plotted and laid bare for readers in microscopic detail. Layered with complexity and frequent mathematical musings, 'A Thought Without Collision' is best suited to readers craving something unique – and perhaps a challenge – rather than those searching for easy bedtime reading.
'A Thought Without Collision' by Adrian Duncan is published in paperback by Tuskar Rock, priced £12.99 (ebook £7.19). Review by Izzie Addison.
Tim Pope's 'I Shoot Rock Stars'
For music-lovers, 'I Shoot Rock Stars' is a must-read. Penned by music video director Tim Pope – responsible for visuals for The Cure, Queen, Talk Talk, Neil Young, and David Bowie – it tells a madcap tale of the golden age of music videos. Pope tracks his beginnings in North London's Enfield, getting his hands on his first camera but not having enough money for film, to becoming music's go-to director, making videos that pushed boundaries and often raised eyebrows.
The book is funny, wild, and at times dark – particularly the chapter regarding Pope's unfortunate time with the Weinstein brothers – and offers a fun look behind the curtain of what rock was really like in the Eighties and Nineties.
'I Shoot Rock Stars' by Tim Pope is published in hardback by Wildfire, priced £25 (ebook £12.99). Review by Prudence Wade.
Kids' Corner: Julia Donaldson's 'Paper Chase'
In 'Paper Chase', Ginger and James have a chance meeting under a tree when her paper plane crashes into his book. The latest offering from The Gruffalo author Dame Julia Donaldson starts as a sweet but conventional first meeting of childhood friends, but takes an unexpected turn when the pair are separated and the tree is cut down and taken to the paper factory.
What follows is an exploration of how paper is made and its many uses, and how those uses bring the duo back together. While the story doesn't have the whimsy of Donaldson's classics, including The Gruffalo, Stick Man, and The Smeds and The Smoos, the prose is so melodic and hypnotic it turns even the most exhausted reader into a masterful public speaker. The illustrations by Victoria Sandoy are a joyful addition.
'Paper Chase' by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Victoria Sandoy, is published in hardback by Alison Green Books, priced £12.99 (no ebook). Review by Laura Harding. Prices correct at time of publication.
